Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 244 / Thursday, December 19, 2024 / Notices 103811 

2All elevation values reported herein reference 

the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929. 

sent via the U.S. Postal Service must be 

addressed to: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, 

Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 

1A, Washington, DC 20426. 

Submissions sent via any other carrier 

must be addressed to: Debbie-Anne A. 

Reese, Secretary, Federal Energy 

Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins 

Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852. All 

filings must clearly identify the project 

name and docket number on the first 

page: Dahowa Hydroelectric Project (P– 

4644–017). 

m. The application is not ready for 

environmental analysis at this time. 

n. The Dahowa Project consists of the 

following existing facilities: (1) a 163- 

foot-long concrete ogee dam that varies 

from 3 to 15 feet in height (averaging 6 

feet high) with a crest elevation of 235 

feet 2 and fitted with 5-foot-high timber 

flashboards; (2) a 228-foot-long, 8-foothigh concrete headrace wall with a crest 

elevation of 237 feet and 3-foot-high 

timber flashboards; (3) an impoundment 

with a surface area of approximately 2.7 

acres, a storage capacity of 

approximately 12.5 acre-feet, and a 

normal water surface elevation of 240.0 

feet; (4) an intake with a trashrack with 

2.5-inch clear bar spacing; (5) a circular 

142-foot-deep concrete powerhouse 

with an exterior diameter of 

approximately 44 feet and containing 

one vertical Kaplan turbine-generator 

unit with a capacity of 10.5 megawatts; 

(6) an underground tailrace tunnel; (7) 

a 5/34.5-kilovolt (kV) step-up 

transformer; (8) a substation; (9) a 690- 

foot-long 34.5-kV transmission line; and 

(10) appurtenant facilities. 

The current Commission-approved 

recreation management plan requires 

the licensee to maintain a public fishing 

area upstream of the dam on the east 

side of the impoundment. The area 

consists of a 700-foot-long access trail, 

a parking area, and signage. The 

recreation management plan also 

requires the licensee to provide access 

to a conservation and preservation area 

located on the west side of the 

impoundment and maintain a parking 

area, signage, an approximately 1,300- 

foot-long access trail loop, and overlook 

walkway structures for viewing 

Dionondahowa (Dahowa) Falls. 

The Dahowa Project operates in a runof-river mode. There is no available 

usable storage behind the dam. Article 

402 of the current license requires a 

minimum flow release of 40 cubic feet 

per second (cfs) over the flashboards 

between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. from 

the third Saturday in May through Labor 

Day weekend and from sunrise to sunset 

on weekends and holidays from Labor 

Day weekend through November 30 to 

provide flows over Dahowa Falls, a 

natural waterfall with an approximate 

height of 70 feet, to enhance aesthetic 

resources. At all other times, a 

minimum flow release of 25 cfs over the 

flashboards is required for water quality 

purposes and for the protection of flowdependent resources. GR Catalyst is not 

proposing any modifications to existing 

project facilities or changes to the 

operation of the project. 

The Dahowa Project has an annual 

generation of approximately 33,500 

megawatt-hours. 

o. A copy of the application can be 

viewed on the Commission’s website at 

http://www.ferc.gov, using the 

‘‘eLibrary’’ link. Enter the docket 

number, excluding the last three digits 

in the docket number field, to access the 

document (P–4644). For assistance, 

contact FERC at FERCOnlineSupport@

ferc.gov, or call toll-free, (866) 208–3676 

or (202) 502–8659 (TTY). 

You may also register online at 

https://www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/ 

esubscription.asp to be notified via 

email of new filings and issuances 

related to this or other pending projects. 

For assistance, contact FERC Online 

Support. 

The Commission’s Office of Public 

Participation (OPP) supports meaningful 

public engagement and participation in 

Commission proceedings. OPP can help 

members of the public, including 

landowners, environmental justice 

communities, Tribal members and 

others, access publicly available 

information and navigate Commission 

processes. For public inquiries and 

assistance with making filings such as 

interventions, comments, or requests for 

rehearing, the public is encouraged to 

contact OPP at (202) 502–6595 or OPP@

ferc.gov. 

p. Procedural schedule and final 

amendments: The application will be 

processed according to the following 

preliminary schedule. Revisions to the 

schedule will be made as appropriate. 

Milestone Target date 

Issue Deficiency Letter (if 

necessary).

February 2025. 

Request Additional Information.February 2025. 

Issue Acceptance Letter ...... June 2025. 

Issue Scoping Document 1 

for comments.

July 2025. 

Issue Scoping Document 2 

(if necessary).

September 

2025. 

Issue Notice of Ready for 

Environmental Analysis.

September 

2025. 

Final amendments to the application 

must be filed with the Commission no 

later than 30 days from the issuance 

date of the notice of ready for 

environmental analysis. 

Dated: December 13, 2024. 

Debbie-Anne A. Reese, 

Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2024–30276 Filed 12–18–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6717–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission 

[Docket No. RD24–5–000] 

Commission Information Collection 

Activities (FERC–725S); Comment 

Request; Revision 

AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission, (DOE). 

ACTION: Notice of information collection 

and request for comments. 

SUMMARY: In compliance with the 

requirements of the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995, the Federal 

Energy Regulatory Commission 

(Commission or FERC) is soliciting 

public comment on the currently 

approved information collection, FERC– 

725S, (Emergency Preparedness and 

Operations (EOP) Reliability Standards) 

and submitting the information 

collection to the Office of Management 

and Budget (OMB) for review. Any 

interested person may file comments 

directly with OMB and should address 

a copy of those comments to the 

Commission as explained below. 

DATES: Comments on the collection of 

information are due January 21, 2025. 

ADDRESSES: Send written comments on 

FERC–725S (1902–0270) to OMB 

through www.reginfo.gov/public/do/ 

PRAMain. Attention: Federal Energy 

Regulatory Commission Desk Officer. 

Please identify the OMB Control 

Numbers in the subject line of your 

comments. Comments should be sent 

within 30 days of publication of this 

notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/ 

PRAMain. 

Please submit copies of your 

comments to the Commission. You may 

submit copies of your comments 

(identified by Docket No. RD24–5–000) 

by one of the following methods: 

Electronic filing through https://

www.ferc.gov, is preferred. 

• Electronic Filing: Documents must 

be filed in acceptable native 

applications and print-to-PDF, but not 

in scanned or picture format. 

• For those unable to file 

electronically, comments may be filed 


lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
103812 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 244 / Thursday, December 19, 2024 / Notices 

1 16 U.S.C. 824o(d)(2). 

2 Id. 

3FERC, NERC, and Regional Entity Staff, The 

February 2021 Cold Weather Outages in Texas and 

the South Central United States, at 189 (Nov. 16, 

2021), https://www.ferc.gov/media/february-2021- 

cold-weather-outages-texas-and-south-centralunited-states-ferc-nerc-and (November 2021 

Report). 

4See, e.g., N. Am. Elec. Reliability Corp., 182 

FERC ¶ 61,094, PP 3–11 (2023) (February 2023 

Order); reh’g denied, 183 FERC ¶ 62,034, order on 

reh’g, 183 FERC ¶ 61,222 (2023). 

5 16 U.S.C. 824o(d)(5). 

6See e.g., N. Am. Elec. Reliability Corp., 183 

FERC ¶ 62,034 at P 10 (emphasizing that industry 

has been aware of and alerted to the need to prepare 

generating units for cold weather since at least 2011 

and that in considering an appropriate 

implementation period for Reliability Standard 

EOP–012–1, NERC should consider how much time 

industry has already had to implement freeze 

protection measures). 

7 89 FR 55239. 

by USPS mail or by hand (including 

courier) delivery. 

Æ Mail via U.S. Postal Service Only: 

Addressed to: Federal Energy 

Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the 

Commission, 888 First Street NE, 

Washington, DC 20426. 

Æ Hand (Including Courier) Delivery: 

Deliver to: Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission, Secretary of the 

Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, 

Rockville, MD 20852. 

Instructions: OMB submissions must 

be formatted and filed in accordance 

with submission guidelines at 

www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. 

Using the search function under the 

‘‘Currently Under Review’’ field, select 

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; 

click ‘‘submit,’’ and select ‘‘comment’’ 

to the right of the subject collection. 

FERC submissions must be formatted 

and filed in accordance with submission 

guidelines at: https://www.ferc.gov. For 

user assistance, contact FERC Online 

Support by email at ferconlinesupport@

ferc.gov, or by phone at: (866) 208–3676 

(toll-free). 

Docket: Users interested in receiving 

automatic notification of activity in this 

docket or in viewing/downloading 

comments and issuances in this docket 

may do so at https://www.ferc.gov/ferconline/overview. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Kayla Williams may be reached by 

email at DataClearance@FERC.gov, 

telephone at (202) 502–6468. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: FERC–725S, Emergency 

Preparedness and Operations (EOP) 

Reliability Standards. 

OMB Control No.: 1902–0270. 

Type of Request: Revision of a 

currently approved FERC–725S 

information collection requirements 

with changes to the reporting 

requirements. 

Abstract: On February 16, 2024, the 

North American Electric Reliability 

Corporation (NERC), the Commissioncertified Electric Reliability 

Organization (ERO), submitted a 

petition seeking approval of proposed 

Reliability Standard EOP–012–2 

(Extreme Cold Weather Preparedness 

and Operations). As discussed in this 

order, we approve proposed Reliability 

Standard EOP–012–2, its associated 

violation risk factors and violation 

severity levels, NERC’s proposed 

implementation plan, the newly defined 

terms Fixed Fuel Supply Component 

and Generator Cold Weather Constraint, 

the revised defined terms Generator 

Cold Weather Critical Component and 

Generator Cold Weather Reliability 

Event, and the retirement of Reliability 

Standard EOP–012–1 immediately prior 

to the effective date of proposed 

Reliability Standard EOP–012–2.1 We 

also approve NERC’s proposed 

implementation date for Reliability 

Standard EOP–011–4 and the proposed 

retirement of Reliability Standards 

EOP–011–2 and EOP–011–3 

immediately prior to the effective date 

of proposed Reliability Standard EOP– 

012–2.2

It is essential to the reliable operation 

of the Bulk-Power System to ‘‘ensure 

enough generating units will be 

available during the next cold weather 

event.’’ 3 When extreme cold weather 

events such as Winter Storms Uri or 

Elliott occur, the Bulk-Power System 

cannot operate reliably without 

adequate generation. Proposed 

Reliability Standard EOP–012–2 

improves upon the approved, but not 

yet effective, Reliability Standard EOP– 

012–1 by clarifying the requirements for 

generator cold weather preparedness 

and by making other improvements 

consistent with the Commission’s 

directives in its February 2023 Order to 

help ensure that more generation is 

available during extreme cold weather.4

Accordingly, we find that proposed 

Reliability Standard EOP–012–2 is just, 

reasonable, not unduly discriminatory 

or preferential, and in the public 

interest. 

Nevertheless, we find that proposed 

Reliability Standard EOP–012–2 

requires improvement to address certain 

concerns, as discussed below. 

Therefore, pursuant to section 215(d)(5) 

of the Federal Power Act (FPA),5 FERC 

directs NERC to: 

(1) develop and submit modifications 

to proposed Reliability Standard EOP– 

012–2 to address concerns related to the 

ambiguity of the newly defined term 

Generator Cold Weather Constraint to 

ensure that the Generator Cold Weather 

Constraint declaration criteria included 

within the proposed Standard are 

objective and sufficiently detailed so 

that applicable entities understand what 

is required of them and to remove all 

references to ‘‘reasonable cost,’’ 

‘‘unreasonable cost,’’ ‘‘cost,’’ and ‘‘good 

business practices’’ and replace them 

with objective, unambiguous, and 

auditable terms; 

(2) develop and submit modifications 

to proposed Reliability Standard EOP– 

012–2 for NERC to receive, review, 

evaluate, and confirm the validity of 

each Generator Cold Weather Constraint 

invoked by a generator owner, in a 

timely fashion, to ensure that such 

declaration cannot be used to avoid 

mandatory compliance with the 

proposed Reliability Standard or 

obligations in a corrective action plan; 

(3) develop and submit modifications 

to proposed Reliability Standard EOP– 

012–2 to shorten and clarify the 

corrective action plan implementation 

timelines and deadlines in Requirement 

R7, as further directed below; 

(4) develop and submit modifications 

to Requirement R7 of proposed 

Reliability Standard EOP–012–2 to 

ensure that any extension of a corrective 

action plan implementation deadline 

beyond the maximum implementation 

timeframe required by the Standard is 

pre-approved by NERC and to ensure 

that the generator owner informs 

relevant registered entities of operating 

limitations in extreme cold weather 

during the period of the extension; and 

(5) develop and submit modifications 

to Requirement R8, part 8.1 of proposed 

Reliability Standard EOP–012–2 to 

implement more frequent reviews of 

Generator Cold Weather Constraint 

declarations to verify that the constraint 

declaration remains valid. 

The Commission has repeatedly 

expressed an urgency in completing 

cold weather Reliability Standards and 

having them implemented in a timely 

manner to address the risks presented 

by cold weather events on the reliability 

of the Bulk-Power System.6 Further, we 

note that NERC submitted the current 

filing in response to Commission 

directives to improve the cold weather 

Reliability Standards, and the five core 

directives to NERC in this order are not 

new issues, but rather targeted 

modifications necessary to fully address 

issues identified in the Commission’s 

prior February 2023 Order. Accordingly, 

we direct NERC to make the above 

modifications and submit the revised 

Reliability Standard within nine months 

of the date of issuance of the order in 

Docket No. RD24–5–000.7


lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 244 / Thursday, December 19, 2024 / Notices 103813 

8 16 U.S.C. 824o(c). 

9 Id. Sec. 824o(e). 

10Rules Concerning Certification of the Elec. 

Reliability Org.; & Procs. for the Establishment, 

Approval, & Enforcement of Elec. Reliability 

Standards, Order No. 672, 114 FERC ¶ 61,104, order 

on reh’g, Order No. 672–A, 114 FERC ¶ 61,328 

(2006); see also 18 CFR 39.4(b) (2023). 

11N. Am. Elec. Reliability Corp., 116 FERC 

¶ 61,062, order on reh’g and compliance, 117 FERC 

¶ 61,126 (2006), aff’d sub nom. Alcoa, Inc. v. FERC, 

564 F.3d 1342 (D.C. Cir. 2009). 

12See November 2021 Report at 9. 

13 Id. at 184–212 (sub-recommendations 1a 

through 1j). 

14FERC and NERC Staff, The South Central 

United States Cold Weather Bulk Electric System 

Event of January 17, 2018, at 89 (Jul. 2019), https:// 

www.ferc.gov/sites/default/files/2020-07/ 

SouthCentralUnitedStatesColdWeatherBulkElectric

SystemEventofJanuary17-2018.pdf. 

15See generally N. Am. Elec. Reliability Corp., 

176 FERC ¶ 61,119 (2021). 

16 Id. 

17 Id. 

18NERC 2022 Petition at 1–2. 

19See February 2023 Order, 182 FERC ¶ 61,094 at 

PP 3–11. 

20See id. PP 1–2. 

21The proposed Reliability Standard EOP–012–2 

is not attached to this order. The proposed 

Reliability Standard is available on the 

Commission’s eLibrary document retrieval system 

in Docket No. RD24–5–000 and on the NERC 

website, www.nerc.com. 

22NERC Petition at 1–4. 

23 Id. at 2. 

24 Id. 

25 Id. at 29. 

26See id. at 25–26, 35, 49–50 (citing the 

November 2021 Report at 184–86). 

Background 

Section 215 and Mandatory Reliability 

Standards 

Section 215 of the FPA provides that 

the Commission may certify an ERO, the 

purpose of which is to develop 

mandatory and enforceable Reliability 

Standards, subject to Commission 

review and approval.8 Reliability 

Standards may be enforced by the ERO, 

subject to Commission oversight, or by 

the Commission independently.9

Pursuant to section 215 of the FPA, the 

Commission established a process to 

select and certify an ERO,10 and 

subsequently certified NERC.11

The February 2021 Cold Weather 

Reliability Event 

On February 16, 2021, Commission, 

NERC, and Regional Entity staff 

initiated a joint inquiry into the 

circumstances surrounding a February 

2021 cold weather reliability event then 

affecting Texas and the South-Central 

United States. In November 2021, 

Commission staff issued a report 

regarding the event, which found that 

the event was the largest controlled firm 

load shed event in U.S. history; over 4.5 

million people lost power and at least 

210 people lost their lives during the 

event.12 The November 2021 Report 

made 28 recommendations including, 

inter alia, enhancements to the 

Reliability Standards to improve 

extreme cold weather operations, 

preparedness, and coordination.13

After the February 2021 cold weather 

reliability event, but before the 

November 2021 Report was issued, 

NERC filed a petition for approval of 

cold weather Reliability Standards 

addressing recommendations from a 

report regarding a 2018 cold weather 

event.14 In August 2021, the 

Commission approved NERC’s 

modifications to Reliability Standards 

EOP–011–2 (Emergency Preparedness 

and Operations), IRO–010–4 (Reliability 

Coordinator Data Specification and 

Collection), and TOP–003–5 

(Operational Reliability Data).15

Reliability Standards IRO–010–4 and 

TOP–003–5 require that reliability 

coordinators, transmission operators, 

and balancing authorities develop, 

maintain, and share generator cold 

weather data.16 Reliability Standard 

EOP–011–2 requires generator owners to 

have generating unit cold weather 

preparedness plans.17

On October 28, 2022, NERC filed a 

petition seeking approval of Reliability 

Standards EOP–011–3 (Emergency 

Operations) and EOP–012–1 (Extreme 

Cold Weather Preparedness and 

Operations), their associated violation 

risk factors and violation severity levels, 

three newly-defined terms (Extreme 

Cold Weather Temperature, Generator 

Cold Weather Critical Component, and 

Generator Cold Weather Reliability 

Event), NERC’s proposed 

implementation plan, and the 

retirement of Reliability Standard EOP– 

011–2.18 On February 16, 2023, the 

Commission approved Reliability 

Standards EOP–011–3 and EOP–012–1, 

directed NERC to develop and submit 

modifications to Reliability Standard 

EOP–012–1 and to submit a plan on 

how NERC will collect and assess data 

surrounding the implementation of 

Reliability Standard EOP–012–1, and 

deferred the retirement of Reliability 

Standard EOP–011–2.19

On October 30, 2023, NERC filed a 

petition seeking approval of Reliability 

Standards EOP–011–4 (Emergency 

Operations) and TOP–002–5 

(Operations Planning), their associated 

violation risk factors and violation 

severity levels, NERC’s proposed 

implementation plan, and the 

retirement of Reliability Standards 

EOP–011–2 and TOP–002–4. On 

February 15, 2024, the Commission 

approved Reliability Standards EOP– 

011–3 and TOP–002–5 and again 

deferred the retirement of Reliability 

Standard EOP–011–2.20

NERC’s Petition and Proposed 

Reliability Standard EOP–012–2 

On February 16, 2024, in response to 

the Commission’s February 2023 Order, 

NERC filed a petition seeking approval 

of proposed Reliability Standard EOP– 

012–2,21 its associated violation risk 

factors and violation severity levels, two 

newly defined terms (Fixed Fuel Supply 

Component and Generator Cold Weather 

Constraint), two revised terms 

(Generator Cold Weather Critical 

Component and Generator Cold Weather 

Reliability Event), NERC’s proposed 

implementation plan, and the 

retirement of currently approved 

Reliability Standard EOP–012–1.22

NERC explains that proposed Reliability 

Standard EOP–012–2 improves upon 

the approved, but not yet effective, 

generator cold weather preparation 

Reliability Standard EOP–012–1 and is 

consistent with the Commission’s 

directives from the February 2023 

Order.23 NERC states that proposed 

Reliability Standard EOP–012–2 

clarifies applicability of the Standard’s 

requirements for generator cold weather 

preparedness, would further define the 

circumstances under which a generator 

owner may declare that constraints 

preclude it from implementing one or 

more corrective actions to address 

freezing issues, and shortens the 

implementation timeline so that cold 

weather reliability risks would be 

addressed sooner.24

NERC states that the purpose of 

proposed Reliability Standard EOP– 

012–2 is unchanged from that of 

approved Reliability Standard EOP– 

012–1, which is to ensure that each 

generator owner develops and 

implements plans to alleviate the 

reliability impacts of extreme cold 

weather on its generating units.25 NERC 

also notes that proposed Reliability 

Standard EOP–012–2 completes NERC’s 

two-part plan to address 

recommendations from the November 

2021 Report by including revisions to 

address parts of Key Recommendations 

1a, 1b, 1c, and 1d.26 NERC states that 

the proposed Reliability Standard 

contains new and revised requirements 

to advance the reliability of the BulkPower System by requiring generator 

owners to (1) review their generator cold 

weather data periodically, (2) include 

any identified start up issues in their 

generator cold weather data provided to 

reliability entities, and (3) consider the 

impacts of freezing precipitation and 


lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1
103814 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 244 / Thursday, December 19, 2024 / Notices 

27 Id. at 23. 

28NERC Petition at 22–23. 

29Requirement R1 under proposed Reliability 

Standard EOP–012–2 modifies existing 

Requirement R3, Part 3.1 and Requirement R4 

under currently approved but not yet effective 

Reliability Standard EOP–012–1. 

30NERC Petition at 33–37. 

31Requirements R2 and R3 under proposed 

Reliability Standard EOP–012–2 were originally 

Requirements R1 and R2, respectively, under 

currently approved but not yet effective Reliability 

Standard EOP–012–1. 

32NERC Petition at 37. 

33 Id. at 38. 

34 Id. at 38–39. 

35Proposed Reliability Standard EOP–012–2, 

Requirement R2, n.1 and Requirement R3, n.2; see 

also NERC Petition at 41–42. 

36Proposed Reliability Standard EOP–012–2, 

Requirement R4 was originally Requirement R3 in 

currently approved but not yet effective Reliability 

Standard EOP–012–1. 

37NERC Petition at 45. 

38 Id. at 46 (citing proposed Reliability Standard 

EOP–012–2, Requirement R4, n.3, which states that 

generator owners shall include the lowest 

calculated Extreme Cold Weather Temperature for 

the unit, even where subsequent periodic recalculations under Requirement R1, Part 1.1 cause 

an increase in the Extreme Cold Weather 

Temperature). 

39 Id. at 47. 

40 Id. at 48 (citing Proposed Reliability Standard 

EOP–012–2, Requirement R6, n.4). 

41 Id. at 50. 

42 Id. at 50–51 (noting that generator owners must 

list the actions that address existing equipment or 

freeze protection measures to be completed within 

24 calendar months of completing development of 

the corrective action plan, list the actions that 

require new equipment or freeze protection 

measures, if any, to be completed within 48 

calendar months of completing development of the 

corrective action plan, and list the updates to the 

cold weather preparedness plan requirement under 

Requirement R4 to identify the updates or additions 

to the Generator Cold Weather Critical Components 

and their freeze protection measures) (emphasis 

added). 

wind speed in identifying generator 

cold weather data.27

Proposed Reliability Standard EOP– 

012–2 has eight requirements, seven of 

which have been carried over and 

modified from approved Reliability 

Standard EOP–012–1 (Requirements 

R1–R7) and one of which is new 

(Requirement R8). Proposed Reliability 

Standard EOP–012–2 applies to 

generator owners and generator 

operators that own or operate bulk 

electric system generating units.28

Proposed Reliability Standard EOP– 

012–2, Requirement R1 modifies the 

Requirements for each generator owner 

to calculate the Extreme Cold Weather 

Temperature for each of its applicable 

generating units and to re-calculate that 

temperature at least once every five 

calendar years.29 Where a periodic recalculation results in a lower Extreme 

Cold Weather Temperature for the 

generating unit, the generator owner 

must update its cold weather 

preparedness plan within six months 

and, if necessary, develop a corrective 

action plan to implement measures at 

the applicable unit to provide the 

capability to operate at that new, lower 

temperature. Proposed Reliability 

Standard EOP–012–2, Requirement R1, 

Part 1.2, also maintains Requirement 

R3.1 to identify generating unit cold 

weather data, including operating 

limitations in cold weather and 

minimum operating temperatures, from 

approved Reliability Standard EOP– 

012–1, Requirement R3, Part 3.5.30

Proposed Reliability Standard EOP– 

012–2, Requirements R2 and R3 clarify 

the cold weather operational capability 

requirements for new and existing bulk 

electric system generating units.31

Under proposed Reliability Standard 

EOP–012–2, Requirement R2, generator 

owners would be required to implement 

freeze protection measures at applicable 

bulk electric system generating units to 

provide the capability to operate at the 

Extreme Cold Weather Temperature 

with sustained, concurrent 20 mph 

wind speed for the unit.32 Specifically, 

Requirement R2 requires generating 

units with a commercial operation date 

on or after October 1, 2027, to be 

capable of operating at the unit’s 

Extreme Cold Weather Temperature for 

a continuous 12-hour period or at the 

maximum operational duration for 

intermittent energy resources if less 

than 12 continuous hours. If a 

generating unit is unable to do either 

then it must develop a corrective action 

plan to add new or modify existing or 

previously planned freeze protection 

measures to provide the capability to 

operate at the unit’s Extreme Cold 

Weather Temperature with a sustained, 

concurrent 20 mph wind speed.33

Similar to Requirement R2, but 

without the wind and duration criteria, 

Requirement R3 requires either that 

existing generating units, (i.e., those in 

commercial operation prior to October 

1, 2027) be capable of operating at the 

unit’s Extreme Cold Weather 

Temperature or that the generator owner 

develops a corrective action plan to 

address the unit’s inability to 

continuously operate successfully.34

Requirements R2 and R3 exempt 

generating units that do not self-commit 

or are not required to operate at or 

below a temperature of 32 degrees 

Fahrenheit, including those that may be 

called upon to operate to assist in 

mitigating emergencies during periods 

at or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.35

Proposed Reliability Standard EOP– 

012–2, Requirement R4,36 modifies the 

requirement for generator owners to 

implement and maintain cold weather 

preparedness plans.37

Under Requirement R4, generator 

owners would include in their cold 

weather preparedness plans the 

information determined in accordance 

with proposed Reliability Standard 

EOP–012–2, Requirement R1. 

Requirement R4 also clarifies that the 

cold weather preparedness plans shall 

reflect the lowest calculated Extreme 

Cold Weather Temperature for the unit, 

even if subsequent re-calculations 

indicate warming temperatures.38

Proposed Reliability Standard EOP– 

012–2, Requirement R5 is substantively 

unchanged from the prior version of the 

Standard. Requirement R5 states that 

generator owners must train their 

personnel annually on the unit’s cold 

weather preparedness plans.39

Proposed Reliability Standard EOP– 

012–2, Requirement R6 modifies the 

requirement that generator owners that 

self-commit or are required to operate at 

or below a temperature of 32 degrees 

Fahrenheit and experience an outage, 

failure to start, or derate due to freezing 

at or above their Extreme Cold Weather 

Temperature must develop a corrective 

action plan to address the identified 

causes. Requirement R6 exempts 

generating units that do not self-commit 

or are not required to operate at or 

below a temperature of 32 degrees 

Fahrenheit, including those that may be 

called upon to operate to assist in 

mitigating emergencies during periods 

at or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.40

Proposed Reliability Standard EOP– 

012–2, Requirement R7 modifies the 

requirement for implementing 

corrective action plans. Requirement R7 

includes new implementation deadlines 

for implementing corrective action 

plans and clarifies the types of 

constraints that may preclude the 

implementation of one or more 

corrective actions.41 Specifically, 

Requirement R7 requires that for each 

corrective action plan developed 

pursuant to Requirements R1, R2, R3, or 

R6, generator owners shall include a 

timetable for implementing the 

corrective actions and complete the 

corrective actions in accordance with 

the timetables outlined in the proposed 

Standard.42 Under Requirement R7, 

generator owners are permitted to 

update the corrective action plan 

timetables, with justifications, if 

corrective actions change or the 

timetable exceeds the timelines in 

Requirement R7, Part 7.1. This 

requirement also states that the 

generator owner must document, in a 

declaration with justification, any 

Generator Cold Weather Constraint that 

precludes the generator owner from 

implementing the selected actions 


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Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 244 / Thursday, December 19, 2024 / Notices 103815 

43NERC Petition at 51–60. 

44 Id. at 62. 

45 Id. at 2–3. 

46 Id. at 66. 

47 Id. at 70–71. 

48 The FERC–725S collection includes the EOP 

family of Reliability Standards: EOP–004–4, EOP 

005–3, EOP–006–3, EOP–008–2, EOP–010–1, EOP– 

011–4, and EOP–012–2. 

49 The overall burden associated with Reliability 

Standard EOP–012 will be the sum of the burden 

(responses) from Reliability Standard EOP–012–1 

(under RD23–1–000) and Reliability Standard EOP– 

012–2 (under RD24–5–000). 

50The estimated hourly cost (salary plus benefits) 

is a combination based on the Bureau of Labor 

Statistics (BLS), as of 2024, for seventy five percent 

of the average of an Electrical Engineer (17– 

2071)¥$79.31 and mechanical engineers (17– 

2141)¥$89.86. ($79.31 + $89.86)/2 = 84.585 × .75 

= 63.439 ($63.44-rounded) ($63.44/hour) and 

twenty-five percent of an Information and Record 

Clerk (43–4199) $44.74 × .25% = 11.185 ($11.19 

rounded) ($11.19/hour), for a total ($63.44+$11.19 

= $74.63/hour). 

51 A fraction of generator owners would be 

required to perform the task on an ongoing basis, 

and the hours represent the whole body of generator 

owners. 

contained within the corrective action 

plan.43

Proposed Reliability Standard EOP– 

012–2, Requirement R8 is a new 

requirement that would apply to 

generator owners that have declared a 

Generator Cold Weather Constraint 

under Requirement R7. Specifically, this 

requirement states that each generator 

owner that creates a Generator Cold 

Weather Constraint declaration shall 

review the Generator Cold Weather 

Constraint declaration at least every five 

calendar years or as needed when a 

change of status to the Generator Cold 

Weather Constraint occurs and update 

the operating limitations associated 

with capability and availability under 

Requirement R1, Part 1.2, if 

applicable.44

NERC requests that the Commission 

approve the violation risk factors and 

violation severity levels for proposed 

Reliability Standard EOP–012–2.45

Further, NERC proposes an effective 

date for Reliability Standard EOP–012– 

2 (with the exception of Requirement 

R3, which would become mandatory 

and enforceable 12-months following 

the proposed Standard’s effective date) 

of October 1, 2024 or the first day of the 

first calendar quarter that is three 

months following regulatory approval, 

whichever is later.46

Finally, NERC requests that the 

Commission approve proposed 

Reliability Standard EOP–012–2 in an 

expedited manner. NERC explains that, 

among other things, expedited approval 

would provide regulatory certainty to 

entities seeking to comply with the 

proposed Reliability Standard ahead of 

the mandatory and enforceable date.47

The EOP Standards are currently 

located in the FERC–725S (OMB Control 

No. 1902–0270) collection.48 In Docket 

No. RD24–5–000, the Commission 

proposes to replace the current OMB 

approved Reliability Standard EOP– 

012–1 with proposed Reliability 

Standard EOP–012–2 (Table 1). 

Proposed Reliability Standard EOP– 

012–2 has eight requirements, seven of 

which have been carried over and 

modified from the already approved 

Reliability Standard EOP–012–1 

(Requirements R1–R7) and one of which 

is new (Requirement R8). The estimates 

in the tables below are based, in 

combination, on one-time (years 1 and 

2) and ongoing execution (year 3) 

obligations to follow the revised 

Reliability Standard EOP–012–2. The 

number of respondents below are based 

on an estimate of the NERC compliance 

registry for generator owners and 

generator operators. Proposed 

Reliability Standard EOP–012–2 applies 

to generator owners and generator 

operators. The Commission based its 

paperwork burden estimates on the 

NERC compliance registry as of April 

16, 2024. According to the registry for 

US unique entities, there are 1,210 

generator owners. The estimates in the 

tables below are based on the change in 

burden from the Reliability Standards 

approved in this order.49 The 

Commission based the burden estimates 

in the tables below on staff experience, 

knowledge, and expertise. 

Public Reporting Burden: The 

estimated costs and burden for the 

revisions in Docket No. RD24–5–000 are 

shown in the table below. 

TABLE 1—PROPOSED CHANGES DUE TO FINAL RULE IN DOCKET NO. RD24–5–000 FOR EOP–012–2 

Reliability standard & requirement 

Type and 

number 

of entity 

Number 

of annual 

responses 

per entity 

Total number 

of responses 

Average number of 

burden hours per 

response 50

Total burden hours 

(1) (2) (1) * (2) = (3) (4) (3) * (4) = (5) 

FERC–725S 

One Time Estimate—Years 1 and 2 EOP–012–2 

EOP–012–2 ........................................................................... 1,210 (GO) ..... 1 1,210 5 hrs., $373.15 ........... 6,050 hrs., $451,511.5. 

Sub-Total for EOP–012–2 (one-time) ............................ ........................ .................... 1,210 5 hrs., $373.15 ........... 6,050 hrs., $451,511.5. 

Ongoing Estimate—Year 3 ongoing EOP–012–2 

EOP–012–2 ........................................................................... 1,210 (GO) ..... 1 1,210 2 hrs.51, $149.26 ........ 2,420 hrs., $180,604.6. 

Sub-Total for EOP–012–2 (ongoing) ............................. ........................ .................... 1,210 2 hrs., $149.26 ........... 2,420 hrs., $180,604.6. 

Sub-Total of ongoing burden averaged over three 

years.

........................ .................... 404 ..................................... 807 hrs., $60,226.41. 

Proposed Total Burden Estimate of EOP–012–2 .. ........................ .................... 1,614 ..................................... 6,857 hrs., $511,737.91. 

Changes to FERC 725S by RD24–5–000 

FERC–725S modification Current 

inventory 

(hours) 

Current 

inventory 

(responses) 

Total change due to RD24–5–000 

Addition of EOP–012–2 ........................................................ ........................ .................... +6,857 hrs., +1,614 responses. 


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I I 
103816 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 244 / Thursday, December 19, 2024 / Notices 

Comments: Comments are invited on: 

(1) whether the collection of 

information is necessary for the proper 

performance of the functions of the 

Commission, including whether the 

information will have practical utility; 

(2) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate 

of the burden and cost of the collection 

of information, including the validity of 

the methodology and assumptions used; 

(3) ways to enhance the quality, utility 

and clarity of the information collection; 

and (4) ways to minimize the burden of 

the collection of information on those 

who are to respond, including the use 

of automated collection techniques or 

other forms of information technology. 

Dated: December 13, 2024. 

Debbie-Anne A. Reese, 

Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2024–30275 Filed 12–18–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6717–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission 

[Project No. 2550–030] 

Wiscons8, LLC; Notice of Application 

Tendered for Filing With the 

Commission and Soliciting Additional 

Study Requests and Establishing 

Procedural Schedule for Relicensing 

and a Deadline for Submission of Final 

Amendments 

Take notice that the following 

hydroelectric application has been filed 

with the Commission and is available 

for public inspection. 

a. Type of Application: Subsequent 

Minor License. 

b. Project No.: 2550. 

c. Date Filed: November 29, 2024. 

d. Applicant: Wiscons8, LLC. 

e. Name of Project: Weyauwega 

Hydroelectric Project (project). 

f. Location: On the Waupaca River in 

the City of Weyauwega in Waupaca 

County, Wisconsin. 

g. Filed Pursuant to: Federal Power 

Act, 16 U.S.C. 791(a)–825(r). 

h. Applicant Contact: Mr. Dwight 

Shanak, Manager, Wiscons8, LLC, 

N3311 Sunrise Lane, Waupaca, 

Wisconsin 54981; telephone at (715) 

412–3150; email at modernhydro@

sbcglobal.net. 

i. FERC Contact: Taconya D. Goar, 

Project Coordinator, Great Lakes Branch, 

Division of Hydropower Licensing; 

telephone at (202) 502–8394; email at 

Taconya.Goar@ferc.gov. 

j. Cooperating agencies: Federal, state, 

local, and tribal agencies with 

jurisdiction and/or special expertise 

with respect to environmental issues 

that wish to cooperate in the 

preparation of the environmental 

document should follow the 

instructions for filing such requests 

described in item l below. Cooperating 

agencies should note the Commission’s 

policy that agencies that cooperate in 

the preparation of the environmental 

document cannot also intervene. See 94 

FERC ¶ 61,076 (2001). 

k. Pursuant to section 4.32(b)(7) of 18 

CFR of the Commission’s regulations, if 

any resource agency, Indian Tribe, or 

person believes that an additional 

scientific study should be conducted in 

order to form an adequate factual basis 

for a complete analysis of the 

application on its merit, the resource 

agency, Indian Tribe, or person must file 

a request for a study with the 

Commission not later than 60 days from 

the date of filing of the application, and 

serve a copy of the request on the 

applicant. 

l. Deadline for filing additional study 

requests and requests for cooperating 

agency status: January 28, 2025. 

The Commission strongly encourages 

electronic filing. Please file additional 

study requests and requests for 

cooperating agency status using the 

Commission’s eFiling system at https:// 

ferconline.ferc.gov/FERCOnline.aspx. 

For assistance, please contact FERC 

Online Support at 

FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov, (866) 

208–3676 (toll free), or (202) 502–8659 

(TTY). In lieu of electronic filing, you 

may submit a paper copy. Submissions 

sent via the U.S. Postal Service must be 

addressed to: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, 

Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory 

Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 

1A, Washington, DC 20426. 

Submissions sent via any other carrier 

must be addressed to: Debbie-Anne A. 

Reese, Secretary, Federal Energy 

Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins 

Avenue, Rockville, MD 20852. All 

filings must clearly identify the project 

name and docket number on the first 

page: Weyauwega Hydroelectric Project 

(P–2550–030). 

m. The application is not ready for 

environmental analysis at this time. 

n. Project Description: The existing 

project consists of a 240-foot-long dam 

that includes: (1) a 90-foot-long earth 

section faced with steel sheet piling; (2) 

a 50-foot-long concrete section with 

three 12-foot-long Tainter gates with a 

crest elevation of 771.28 National 

Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD 

29) when fully open; (3) a 29-foot-long, 

56-foot-wide powerhouse that includes 

an intake structure and a 210-kilowatt 

vertical Francis turbine-generator; and 

(4) a 71-foot-long earth section faced 

with steel sheet piling. 

The dam creates an impoundment 

with a surface area of 253 acres at a 

normal pool elevation of 770.2 feet 

NGVD 29. From the impoundment, 

water flows through the powerhouse to 

a tailrace that empties into the Waupaca 

River. The generator is connected to the 

regional electric grid by a 4.16-kilovolt 

(kV) underground generator lead line 

and a step-up transformer. 

Project recreation facilities include a 

hand-carry boat portage route and a 

hand-carry boat put-in site 

approximately 150 feet downstream of 

the dam. 

The current license requires the 

licensee to operate the project in a runof-river mode, such that outflow from 

the project approximates inflow and the 

surface elevation of the impoundment is 

maintained between 769.95 and 770.45 

feet NGVD 29. The minimum and 

maximum hydraulic capacities of the 

powerhouse are 35 and 229 cfs, 

respectively. The average annual 

generation of the project was 1,385 

megawatt-hours from 2017 through 

2023. 

Wiscons8 proposes to: (1) continue 

operating the project in a run-of-river 

mode and maintaining the 

impoundment elevation between 769.95 

and 770.45 feet NGVD 29; (2) replace 

the existing turbine runner (‘‘from a 

Leffel 36z to a Leffel 36s’’) to improve 

turbine hydraulic efficiency; (3) install a 

new programmable logic controller to 

ensure compliance with run-of-river 

operation, including automation of the 

Tainter gates when inflow is greater 

than the 229-cfs maximum hydraulic 

capacity of the turbine; and (4) continue 

maintaining the project recreation 

facilities. 

o. In addition to publishing the full 

text of this notice in the Federal 

Register, the Commission provides all 

interested persons an opportunity to 

view and/or print the contents of this 

notice, as well as other documents in 

the proceeding (e.g., license application) 

via the internet through the 

Commission’s Home Page (http://

www.ferc.gov) using the ‘‘eLibrary’’ link. 

Enter the docket number excluding the 

last three digits in the docket number 

field to access the document (P–2550). 

For assistance, contact FERC at 

FERCOnlineSupport@ferc.gov or call 

toll-free, (866) 208–3676 or (202) 502– 

8659 (TTY). 

You may also register online at 

https://ferconline.ferc.gov/ 

FERCOnline.aspx to be notified via 

email of new filings and issuances 

related to this or other pending projects. 


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